Holocaust-Era Assets Finding Aid

Civilian Agency Records

State Department and Foreign Affairs Records

Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the Department
of State (RG 84)

Bulgaria

Bulgaria, under King Boris III, attempted to remain a neutral and tried to
please Germany by agreeing to sign at a future date the Tripartite Treaty and
by enacting legislation in 1940 and 1941 against the Jews and Masons.
But eventually increased German pressure and fear of Russia prompted the Bulgarians
on March 1, 1941 to sign the Tripartite Treaty with Germany. The following
day German troops were allowed to enter Bulgaria en route to Greece. Within
the week the United Kingdom severed diplomatic relations with Bulgaria.
Bulgaria declared war against the British and the United States on December
1941.

Germany exercised increased significant control over Bulgaria's economy during
the war. The second largest bank, the German-Bulgarian Credit Bank, which
was German-owned before the war, and the Bulgarian Commercial Bank, which came
under German influence during the war by the replacement of French interests,
influenced most of the trade between Germany and Bulgaria. Various German mining
interests obtained concessions on Bulgarian territory for the development of
raw materials needed by German industries. I.G. Farben obtained a concession
to build various chemical plants in Bulgaria. And tobacco, Bulgaria's
largest export item, came under German control through German financing of the
tobacco crop.

Although King Boris supported measures against the Jews, he refused to have
them deported. But he could not protect them. In September 1942, from
pressure from the German SS, Bulgaria adopted numerous policies against the
Jews, including the confiscation of their property Deportations, forced by the
German SS, began in the spring of 1943, when over 11,000 Jews were sent to Treblinka
and other death camps. It is estimated that some 14,000 Bulgarian Jews of an
estimated 64,000 pre-Final Solution population were exterminated. Many
of the ones who were not sent to extermination camps or otherwise murdered were
sent to labor camps.

King Boris, who died shortly after a stormy meeting with Hitler in August 1943,
was succeeded by political leaders who had grown like their king to put more
faith in the Allies than the Axis. Allied bombings of Bulgaria during the spring
and summer of 1944 forced Bulgaria further away from its alliance with the Axis.
On September 5, 1944 Russia declared war against Bulgaria and three days later
Bulgaria asked for an armistice. Soviet forces then crossed into Bulgaria
and a coup led by Communists took control of the government. On September
8, 1944 Bulgaria declared war on Germany and by the end of the month Bulgarian
forces joined with the Russians in fighting the Germans. (Note 62)

Records of the Sofia Legation

General Records 1936-1941 (Entry 2182)
Boxes 1-10A

Classified General Records 1947-1948 (Entry 2183)
Box 1

Records of the U.S. Mission to Sofia

General Records 1943-1945, 1947-1948 (Entry 2184)
Boxes 1-5

Records of the U.S. Delegation to the Allied Control Commission, Bulgaria